1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a steering wheel unit for a motor vehicle having an airbag module incorporated into the steering wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motor vehicle steering wheels allow the vehicle operator to control the steering of the vehicle, as is well known in the art. While driving, the steering wheel can often experience vibrations which are passed on to the operator. The vibrations can be the result of imbalance in the tires or wheels, wheels mounted off-center, roughness or unevenness of the road or other driving surface, roughness of the braking mechanism, etc. The vibrations can also lead to a “bump-squeak-rattle” effect due to the various components mounted to the steering wheel. Vibrations and “bump-squeak-rattle” in the steering wheel can affect the comfort of the operator while driving.
One type of component mounted to the steering wheel is a vehicle airbag module. The airbag module can be mounted to the steering wheel in a manner to allow for the airbag module to be depressed for actuating the vehicle horn.
The airbag module, being mounted to the steering wheel, undergoes vibrations that are present in the steering wheel. These vibrations between the steering wheel and the airbag module can lead to the undesirable “bump-squeak-rattle” effect. Thus, there is need to provide vibration damping to both the steering wheel and airbag module to reduce vibrations and reduce instances of “bump-squeak-rattle.”